What was once an army barracks for the Yugoslavian Army is now a hub of art and creativity.
In 1991, Slovenia declared its independence from Yugoslavia, triggering a 10 day war that resulted in Slovenian autonomy. The Yugoslav military withdrew from the country, leaving dozens of facilities abandoned.
Squatters took over the former headquarters of the Yugoslav People’s Army and renamed it Metelkova after a nearby street and a 19th-century Slovene priest.
The squatters formed a collective of artists and civic activists looking to create a sort of new urbanism.
While the site (over 3 acres in size) has quasi-legal standing, real estate developers would love to get their hands on this prime spot. As such, whenever there is a controversy at Metelkova, politicians use bad faith arguments to try and shut down the space.
Metelkova has several art studios you can visit and many of the walls are covered in dramatic street art. Music venues also regularly have concerts.
Some people estimate at as much as 40% of all the live music in Ljubljana takes place at Metelkova.
Drug dealers have set up shop in Metelcova as well. Ignore them and they’ll leave you alone.
Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU) has nonstop flights to much of Europe, though many of those are seasonal. There are no direct flights outside Europe except for a couple to the Middle East.
There’s also bus and train service to cities like Zagreb, Croatia (about 3 hours), Venice (2.5 hours), and Trieste, Italy (90 minutes).
Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink. He currently resides in Setubal, Portugal. Brent has written the novel “Truffle Hunt” (Eckhartz Press) and the short story collection “That Bird.” He’s also written dozens of foodie travel guides on Destination Eat Drink. Brent’s podcast, also called Destination Eat Drink, is available on all major podcasting platforms and is distributed by the Radio Misfits Podcast Network.
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